In a move familiar to anyone who’s ever had a drunken run-in with an ex, NBC has jumped back into bed with ousted co-chairman Ben Silverman, rekindling its romance with the former network head whose legacy includes reboots of Knight Rider and Bionic Woman and moving Jay Leno to primetime. Silverman’s new company Electus has sold NBC the reality show Fashion Star, an umpteenth iteration on Project Runway where designers create more “accessible” lines that involve stuff like jeans, swimsuits, or lingerie for the approval of retail buyers and host Elle MacPherson, and viewers will then be able to purchase all of the contestants’ work (even the losers’) online.
As for why NBC would fall back into going out with the toxic guy they just dumped like a year ago, Silverman—displaying some of his typical oozing charm—said, “I have great relationships in general at the network, almost stronger than when I worked there.” You know how it goes: NBC is sitting there, alone and vulnerable, looking at the ratings and feeling kind of dumpy, when in walks Ben Silverman, and as he brushes NBC’s hair out of its eyes he whispers, “We had some good times, didn’t we baby? Remember The Office and The Biggest Loser?” And then all of NBC’s friends are trying to pull NBC into the bathroom to tell them what a mistake they’re making, but by this point NBC has maybe had a few vodka sours and is like, “You don’t understand him—you never did!” and the taboo of it all just makes it even hotter. So basically, we just have to keep quiet and let NBC figure this one out for themselves.